DON’T JOIN,BELONG

About

Founded by Ben Gotting and Dave Thomas, The Foundry is a results-driven fitness community offering classes and semi-private personal training.

The Foundry gives everyone the opportunity to be trained and treated like a professional athlete within a team environment, not just the 100 plus Olympic and international sportsmen and sportswomen who have trained with our world-class coaches.

The Foundry's call to action "Where The Strong Belong" is an attitude - members and guests are strong in mind, strong in body, and strong in commitment.

Ethos

Our mission is to be the most inclusive, community-minded fitness company and charity in the UK. We live by this credo, and value mental health and wellbeing as much as a great deadlift or deep squat.

We recognise it can be a bit intimidating walking into a gym which includes international rugby players and Olympians amongst its team and members...but you don't need to be physically strong to start at The Foundry. We are proud to have non-threatening environments with world class coaches and a great, fun vibe.

The Foundry isn't interested in short-term, dramatically staged pictures - we work as hard as you on your training and nutrition to help you create a sustainable lifestyle and overall health and happiness, in body and in mind.

Everyone at The Foundry is part of the family and commited to making sure there is "No One Left Behind".

Senior Management

Dave Thomas - Founder and Head of Brand

Over the last decade, Dave has accumulated over 10,000 personal training hours with a diverse range of clients, from young offenders to professional athletes and celebrities.

As a founding trustee of Sky Sports’ School Of Hard Knocks, and also as the driving force behind our own charity arm, Dave really represents everything it means to be a member of The Foundry family.

A highly-regarded authority on all things health and fitness, Dave also writes a weekly column for The Telegraph where he finally gets to use his Philosophy degree in the ‘real world'.

Dave also regularly delivers 5-star classes, where his Belinda Carlisle playlists are more motivating than you’d initially expect.

Ben Gotting - Founder and Head of Product

The Gottfather is our Head of Delivery, ensuring all programmes and trainers operate at a level befitting "one of the best gyms in the world".

Having spent 10 years playing top-flight Rugby, winning both European and domestic trophies with London Wasps, Ben knows exactly how to build the team environment that is a key component in achieving fast, safe, and long-lasting results.

Ben splits his time between our gyms, where he not only oversees the trainers but also delivers some of the most acclaimed classes in London.

As one of the UK’s most respected strength, and conditioning experts, Ben is regularly featured in leading publications where he almost never mentions his professional rugby career...

Amanda Hart - Managing Director

Bio coming soon.

Team

We try not to take ourselves too seriously, but The Foundry's team is unique within the industry. Recruited from professional sport, and under the tutelage of Ben Gotting, everyone is hired for their coaching ability, team ethos, and work ethic.

Unlike most other gyms, our trainers are full-time employees. So, not only do they deliver elite training, but they are the same faces you will see every time you visit, and you'll only see them here.

This mixture of expert knowledge, and friendly personalities, who understand first-hand the power of team training, are the reason The Foundry's team stands out... both physically and metaphorically!

The Foundry also hosts special events in partnership with some of the hottest class trainers in London.

Bank

Nick Collins - General Manager

Bio coming soon.

MARK IRELAND - Lead Coach

Another former Rugby professional, Mark played at Wasps with Ben and enjoyed a successful career tearing up defences both domestically and whilst based in France.

Following retirement, Mark is now an in-demand personal trainer and class instructor, leading programming at Bank.

The rest of The Foundry team believe Mark's head is one of the few natural landmarks you can see from space.

SOPHIE JOYCE - Coach

Sophie has a background in competitive rowing and a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science, so she knows what it feels like to train like a Foundry athlete!

Although she coaches a wide variety of clients, Sophie adds another string to The Foundry bow with a specialism working with new mums and mums to be. Having welcomed dozens of babies to The Foundry family over the years we are delighted to have another coach available to help members with that special physical and emotional journey from bump to baby.

As well as running her own personal training business Sophie's best, and most concerning, professional endorsement is learning the trade for over a year as a client of our very own coach Mark Ireland!

Vauxhall

Jason St. Clair-Newman - General Manager

Bio coming soon.

DAN PEARSE - Lead Coach

Dan is a human Performance Coach who puts a huge emphasis on correct mechanics and kinematics, helping people improve their alignment and reduce pain/injury. This allows for pain free, efficient movement; perfect for building strength #WhereTheStrongBelong.

As a schoolboy Dan played football at Charlton for 4 years and then 4 years at AFC Wimbledon. If you fancy a weekend Bovril and meat pie you can still catch Dan playing semi-professional now.

Dan has travelled extensively around the world investing in his education to further his knowledge and skill-set.

Dan has the distinction of being the only staff member to eat a whole tablespoon of horseradish at his first Foundry do mistaking it for hummus.

SHIRLEY DARLINGTON-ROWAT - Coach

Shirley is a movement and strength coach who is passionate about helping people to move pain-free, grow stronger and feel more confident about themselves in and out of the gym.

An avid weightlifter and sprinter, Shirley is always dabbling in new sports and experiences to discover more about herself and her potential as an athlete and a coach. She has more than a decade of Parkour experience and has travelled to more than twenty countries to deliver seminars and workshops in this field.

Shirley reached the semi-finals of Ninja Warrior UK in 2015 and was one of ten international athletes selected to compete in the Spartan X TV show in 2016.

As a mother, Shirley also has a great interest in helping pregnant women continue their training journey before and after birth and she has recently become a certified BirthFit coach.

Alex Riches - Coach

Bio coming soon.

ZANE IRVINE - Coach

Zane is a success story of The Foundry’s internship program.

A former Royal Marines commando, who served for 5 years and travelled all around the world, sports and fitness has always been a big part of his life, from playing football to a high level as a youngster, to competitive boxing.

Zane is an excellent class and semi-private training coach with outstanding feedback. He also adds an extra dimension to his sessions and our #BOX classes as a top-notch boxing instructor.

Another Foundry coach with an oversized head to house his large brain, Zane, or ‘Sniper’s Dream’, has a work ethic and passion for the job apparent in all his delivery.

Dan Magee - COACH

Bio coming soon.

Old Street

JASON FOX - General Manager

Jase, as we imaginatively refer to him, is the Lead Coach at Old Street - pulling the strings day-to-day, motivating people, and having a lot of fun.

The original "baby-faced bicep assassin”, Jason has 10 years coaching experience, and has travelled Europe learning from some of the leading experts in the industry.

Passionate about sport, Jason’s background is semi-professional football and athletics. Having recently taken up golf, he claims you can master the entire game just using YouTube videos.

The victorious team captain at our inaugural Fun & Gains competition, rumour has it he takes the prestigious golden tyre everywhere.

FRANCIS BRAMBLE - Lead Coach

The baby of the team, Framble's cheery personality, hard work and high-quality coaching rubs off on everyone who trains with him.

Working at both the Old Street and Vauxhall sites, his passion is helping people achieve thing they thought impossible. His renowned HANG callisthenics class will have you moving your body in fun and new ways (which gravity probably never intended).

Due to his all-round sporting prowess (obstacle course racing, athletics, and football), Francis literally NEVER goes out. Rumour has it that once in 2004 he went out for a ’couple of beers' and nearly brought London to its knees.

Ailish McLaughlin - Coach

Bio coming soon.

Duncan Murray - Coach

Bio coming soon.

Guest Services

Alex Karonias

Bio coming soon.

BRIGITTA TUBA

Originally from Hungary, Brigitta found London via Italy and fell in love (with the city we hasten to add). On a life-changing holiday to to Thailand (very original...) Brigitta realised she needed a change and lost 3 stone in 18 months before seeking an opportunity in the fitness industry.

She also brings a wealth of front of house experience including working for one of the city's largest casinos.

Joel Chin-Jones

Bio coming soon.

Mélanie Fernandez Roque

Continuing our accidental anti-Brexit hiring policy, Mel grew up a Spanish girl in Switzerland before moving to London 5 years ago, where she has worked in customer services, front of house, sales and digital advertising.

Mel found her passion for fitness 2 years ago when she began to learn how to lift weights

"It was a way for me to get away from daily stress, feel stronger physically and mentally, and get out of my comfort zone. I enjoyed the corporate world but I really want to now work in an industry which I’m passionate about and extol the benefits of moving and training. And I’m not just talking about the aesthetic ones!" (Yes, Mel uses even bigger words than Dave.)